Liberty News

Social work student receives Champion Award for spurring others to service

January 31, 2018 : Liberty University News Service

In celebration of her relentless efforts to involve more students in community service and for taking initiative when she sees an opportunity to help others, Liberty University senior Anna Nokes was awarded with the December Champion Award.

Nokes, a social work student, applies both her faith and her education on a regular basis. She is currently interning in Roseville, Calif., helping to create jobs for people with disabilities.

At Liberty, she founded the Social Work Club and served as a team leader for the Community Care Initiative, where she led students in short-term community service projects. She also served as a Community Group leader on her residence hall.

Nokes was instrumental in establishing a branch of Celebrate Recovery on Liberty’s campus, a 12-step, Christ-centered program that helps people tackle mental health issues. She volunteered with the program for three years.

In a study trip to the Dominican Republic with Liberty’s social work department, she cultivated a passion for helping victims of human trafficking, and she is currently raising money to return to the DR to partner with a local church to fight the problem head-on.

The Liberty Champion Award was introduced last fall as a way to recognize those in Liberty’s community who demonstrate champion-like characteristics and the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), which are at the heart of both Liberty’s mission and the We The Champions project.

Throughout the academic year, students, faculty, and staff will have the opportunity to nominate someone they feel is living out the character traits of a champion. One individual will receive The Champion Award each month.

To nominate a Liberty student, faculty, or staff member for the Champion Award, email their name and story to WeTheChampions@liberty.edu or fill out the online form on the We The Champions webpage.